The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

First Bread and First Post

Park's picture
Park

First Bread and First Post

Yesterday I baked my first loaf of bread. The recipe I used was a modified version of the "Beginner's Sourdough Bread" from The Perfect Loaf blog. 

Levain 

40g starter (100% hydration)

40g red whole wheat

40g bread flour

80g water

Dough

392g bread flour

80g red whole wheat

346g water

9g fine sea salt

200g levain (it was suppose to be 184g levain but I forgot to weight it out)

50g honey

Method

It took 8 hours for my levain to become active, when it was meant to be 6 hours. I wanted a 3 hour autolyse but it ended up being a 5 hour autolyse because I started it at the levain's 3 hour mark. 

The dough was much wetter than I expected and that was probably due to my forgetting to account for the honey being a liquid. I did four sets of stretch and folds with 30 min rests in between then let it bulk ferment for 3 hours. 

When I went to do the preshape, I noticed it had very little strength so I did a few more sets of stretch and folds, and let it rest for 5 minutes before the preshape. After another 5 minute rest, I shaped it and put it in an oiled bowl for proofing in the fridge until morning. 

Around 9 the next morning I preheated the oven to 475 F with steam. When I went to remove the dough from the bowl, it stuck. There was quite a bit of stretching and it spread out when I put it on the baking sheet. I tried to score it but it just moved with the knife. Turned the oven down to 450 F and threw it in the oven for 20 minutes. Then turned the pan 180 degrees and set the oven to 425 F for 15 minutes. Turned the loaf 180 again and left it in the oven for another 15 minutes. 

A few hours after pulling it out of the oven, I cut into it and it was under cooked. Very very chewy and firm. It tastes great, though, and I will definitely try this recipe again. 

One thing I'm not sure about is, should I remove the source of steam after the first 20 minutes? 

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

Well done for your first go at it. It looks like a reasonably formula for a sourdough. I didn't run all the numbers, but be aware that the hydration probably was a bit higher than you expected more because of the extra 100% hydration starter than because of the honey.

You didn't really say how you mixed the dough and how much you developed / worked it before the four stretch and folds. Four of these, plus only three hours bulk ferment, wouldn't develop the gluten enough, which is probably why it was not very springy when you shaped it. Further to that, if it proofed in the fridge without a room-temperature stint first, it didn't rise as much as it could have. Sourdough needs more time to develop the dough than a commercial yeast bread would.

Try doing a more vigorous mix (after autolyse and adding the salt & starter, and before the stretch and fold phase). You can do this in a stand mixer or by various methods such as French slap & fold al la Richard Bertinet; the 'scooping' method shown by Trevor Wilson on Breadwerx; pincering and folding (can't remember who uses this method), or whatever. The goal should be a fairly smooth stretchy dough before you do the bulk ferment, with the three or four stretch and folds in the first couple of hours. Also, let it bulk ferment until it is doubled and quite gassy (watching the dough, not the clock).

For the final proof, try lining the bowl (or a basket or colander if you have one) with a linen or smooth cotton cloth dusted with a mixture of bread flour and brown rice flour. Shape the dough into a smooth, tight ball and put it in the lined basket, then let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour (or two) before you put it in the fridge overnight. When you do put it in the fridge, put the whole basket / bowl into a plastic bag and close it up loosely to keep the moisture in.

Next morning, turn it out, score it and bake it. When you say 'remove the source of steam' I'm not sure what that source is. If you poured a cup of water into a pan when you put the dough in the oven, it should have mostly dissipated by that time anyway, and if you are opening the oven door to rotate the loaf a couple of times all the steam (and some of the heat) should have escaped. If you've got some other significant source of continuous steam then by all means, remove it after 20 minutes.

Welcome, and good luck!

Park's picture
Park

Thank you so much for the advice! I'll most likely reference back to this comment next time I bake. 

Ru007's picture
Ru007

Haven't got anything to add to what's already been said. 

Welcome and good luck! 

Park's picture
Park

Thank you!

hreik's picture
hreik

become addicted to sourdough in short order, is my guess.  And this site is the best for encouragement, critique and helpfulness.  Welcome

hester

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Great bread for a fikrst post.  Well done and happy baking

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

You did great! I am sure it was very tasty. And welcome to TFL. 

semolina_man's picture
semolina_man

Well done!  Let's see more of your bread!